Geological maps

Geological maps show the age and type of Iceland's bedrock and loose strata, along with various features that relate to the development of the island and its geology, such as craters, fracture zones, geothermal heat, fossils and dip.

The mapping of Iceland's geology has been one of the IINH's main activities from the time that Guðmundur Kjartansson published the first geological map of Iceland in 1962. The data used to compile geological maps comes from many different quarters, and the IINH has collaborated closely with other institutions in obtaining data.The IINH hasprepared geological maps at various scales, of which 1:500 000 and 1:250 000 have been the most frequently used to date.

Revised geological maps of Iceland at a scale of 1:600 000, both a bedrock geology map and a tectonic map, were published in August 2009. With these maps, various improvements and corrections have been made to the geological maps published in 1998 at a scale of 1:500 000. Shading is used on the maps to depict the terrain. The legend for these maps is now in French and German in addition to English and Icelandic. On the back of the map are photographs of geological formations and phenomena seen on the map, with short descriptions in all four languages.